Fencer Stephen James Weir faces Byron Bay court pleading guilty to high-range drink driving
A northern NSW fencer has fronted court after hopping behind the wheel “to see a friend” in Byron Bay’s industrial estate at 3am while well over the legal alcohol limit.
Police & Courts
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A Byron Bay bush fencer was caught driving at more than three times the legal alcohol limit “to see a friend” in Byron Bay’s industrial estate at 3am.
Stephen James Weir told Byron Bay Local Court he drank too much red wine before he hopped behind the wheel.
The 29-year-old man pleaded guilty in the court to high-range drink driving on February 10.
Weir was driving a Volkswagen Amarok ute when he was pulled over by police for a random breath test on Shirley St, court documents state.
He told officers he had consumed “four larger than standard glasses of merlot red wine” between 11pm and 2.15am.
Weir was noticeably affected by alcohol.
“His speech was slow and slurred, his movements were sluggish and his breath smelt of alcohol,” the documents state.
Weir blew a positive on the roadside and was taken to Byron Police Station for a follow-up test, in which he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.156
Defence lawyer Ian McKay told the court on Monday that Weir completed the traffic offenders program, was seeing a psychologist and getting support for alcohol issues.
The court heard that in 2020 Weir was sentenced for driving while his licence was suspended and a conditional release order was handed down.
“He wanted to visit a friend in the Industrial Estate,” Mr McKay said.
“He ate no food while drinking.”
Magistrate Kathy Crittenden said Weir’s offending put lives at risk.
Weir was disqualified from driving for six months and fined $900.
He will have to use an alcohol interlock device for a year once allowed back on the road.
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